Container



Dec. 19, 1939.. R. c. TAYLOR CONTAINER Filed NOV. 5, 1938 INVENTOR m 52- 'KFW'NEY Patented Dec. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTAINER Application November 5, 1938, Serial No. 239,138

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to containers or cans of the tearing strip character and has particular reference to a hinge member formed from a portion of the can body adjacent its side seam and used for hingedly connecting the can body to a reclosure cover produced by removal of the tearing strip.

An object of the invention is the provision in a tearing strip can, of a hinge member for connecting the can body with a reclosure cover produced by removal of the tearing strip wherein the hinge member is an integral part of the can body being struck out from a section of the body wall below the tearing strip and in the side seam t of the body and being contained within the confines of the usual body outline thereby producing an efiicient hinge without augmenting the cost of manufacture of the can or increasing the material of the body bank.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sealed can embodying the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the can illustrated in Fig. l and showing the 39 can in partially opened condition;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the can further opened;

Figs. 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary sections taken substantially along the lines 44 and 5-5 in respective Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of a flat blank from which the body of the can is made, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the can body blank after certain forming operations have been performed on it.

As a preferred embodiment of the invention the drawing illustrates a cylindrical sheet metal container II (Fig. 1) which includes a body member i2 and top and bottom end or closure members I3, l4 secured to the body member by suitable end seams 15.

The body member I2 is preferably of the lock and lap side seam type and is produced from a flat rectangular blank ll (Fig. 6) having longitudinal or flange edges l8 and transverse or side seam edges l9. Adjacent the upper flange edge l8, the blank is formed with a pair of spaced and 56 parallel score lines 2| which extend the full length of the blank setting off between them a tearing strip 22. At one end of the blank (the left as viewed in Fig. 6) the tearing strip is provided with a tongue 23.

One side seam edge 19 (at the left as viewed 5 in Fig. 6) is provided with a lock seam portion 25 which is set off between a lower notch it and an upper slit 2'1. Adjacent the notch 28 and also between the slit 2? and the lower score line 2| there are set off lap seam portions 28. The other side seam edge 19 (at the right in Fig. 6) is provided with a lower slit 3! and an upper line out consisting of right angled long and short slits 32, 33. Between the slits Si, 32 there is set off a lock seam portion 35 and below the slit 3! a lap seam portion 36. The slits 32,

33 set 01?, from the side seam edge, a hinge member 31 which is thus a part of the body. It is to this hinge feature that the invention is particularly directed. :20

Prior to bending the blank I? into can body shape the lock seam portions 25, 35 are formed into oppositely directed hooks 38 (Fig. '7). That portion of the side seam edge [9 which is set off by the slits 32, 33 and defining the hinge 25 member 31 is folded upwardly and back on itself so that it extends across the score lines 2! as shown in Fig. 7, the upper edge of the hinge member being adjacent the upper flange edge i8 of the blank.

When the blank is formed into the conventional can body shape, the side seam hooks 38 are interengaged and folded over in the usual manner and the lap portions 28, 3B are overlapped and soldered together to provide a regular lock and lap side seam 4| (Fig. 1) which holds the body edges together. In such a can body the tearing strip 22 extends entirely around the can with its tongue 23 overhanging the side Seam on the outside of the body where an opening key at 3 may be readily applied to it for opening the can. The hinge member 31 is on the inside of the can body in alignment with the side seam.

After forming the body the conventional flange edges I8 are bent over to form outwardly pro- 45 jecting flanges which are preferably interfolcled with similar flanges on the closure members l3, 14. It is these flanges when interfolded that produce the end scams [5. It should be noted in this interfolding of the flanges that the upper or free end of the hinge member 31 which is adjacent the can body upper flange is incorporated in the upper end seam l 5. Thus the hinge member above the tearing strip 22 is secured in the end seam and below the tearing strip is an integral part of the can body.

Hence when the tearing strip 22 is removed to open the cana reclosure cover 46 is produced which is connected to the can body by the hinge member 3! as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. This cover includes the top member 13 and that portion of the body 52 above the tearing strip which is secured to the top member by the end seam 15. The hinged reclosure cover may thus be repeatedly used as a reclosure for the can.

Provision is made for seating the cover on the can when used as a reclosure. For this. purpose a collar or band 5! of sheet metal is disposed inside the can body adjacent and back of the tearing strip 22. The lower edge of the collar is preferably provided with an edge curl 52' which is locked in a bead 53 formed in the body for holding the collar in place.

The upper end of the collar is formed with an inwardly bent edge curl 5 5 which provides a smooth curved seat for the top member Q3 of the reclosure cover 44. The top member 53 is formed with a shouldered step 56 (Figs. 4 and 5) which fits over the collar edge curl. This step 56 merges into a countersunk panel 51 which extends down within the mouth of the collar thus providing what is commonly termed in the art as a double step cover. After the reclosure cover M is produced it may be readily hinged in both open and closing position, in the latter position being seated on the collar.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. A sheet metal container, comprising a body having a side seam, and an end closure member secured to said body by an end seam, said body being provided with score lines setting off a tearing strip extending entirely around the body adjacent said end closure member, said body also having a hinge portion thereof partially out out of its side seam and set oii below said tearing strip, said hinge portion being folded upwardly across said tearing strip and against the adjacent body wall and having its free end where it extends above the tearing strip, secured in said end seam thereby providing a hinge connecting the body with a reclosure cover produced from the part of said container above the tearing strip when said tearing strip is removed.

2. A sheet metal container, comprising a body having a side seam, an annular collar disposed in said body, and a double step and member secured to said body by an end seam, said body being provided with score lines setting off a tearing strip extending entirely therearound adjacent said end closure member, said body also having a hinge portion thereof partially cut out of its side seam and set oil below said tearing strip, said hinge portion being folded upwardly across said tearing strip and against said body wall and having its free end where it extends above the tearing strip secured in said end seam thereby providing a hinge connecting the body with a reclosure cover produced from the part of said container above the tearing strip when said tearing strip is removed, said hinged reclosure cover utilizing said collar as a friction base when the reclosure cover is in closed position on the container.

RUSSELL C. TAYLOR. 

